Wärtsilä acquires marine technology group Guidance Marine

Wärtsilä has purchased global marine technology company Guidance Marine for an undisclosed sum.

Guidance Marine was established in 1991 and is primarily focused on the supply of sensor solutions for dynamic positioning and other vessel control systems such as collision avoidance and remote control operations.

The company has also developed a range of in-house capabilities, including a dozen patents for various technologies and a portfolio of associated products.

Guidance Marine employs more than 50 personnel worldwide and currently operates branches in the UK, US and Singapore.

The acquisition is intended to help Wärtsilä boost its capabilities in the areas of situational awareness and near-field measurement, which are necessary for the development of intelligent vessel navigation systems.

"Guidance Marine’s core competences are wide ranging and include the development of sophisticated positional measurement sensors and systems for high-accuracy control applications."

The deal is also expected to allow Wärtsilä to offer new technologies intended to improve the ‘intelligent’ shipping sector.

Wärtsilä Marine Solutions Automation, Navigation and Communication director Maik Stoevhase said: “Guidance Marine’s core competences are wide ranging and include the development of sophisticated positional measurement sensors and systems for high-accuracy control applications.

“These competences complement our own activities in the field of radar technology, navigation and dynamic positioning, by joining forces we can certainly further accelerate the introduction of solutions that will take shipping into a new era of efficiency.”

Finland-based Wärtsilä currently provides advanced technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy industries.

The company is also one of the founding members of One Sea – Autonomous Maritime Ecosystem initiative, which seeks to co-develop solutions to support autonomous shipping.